On The Waterfront

513 Words3 Pages
“At the heart of On the Waterfront is an exploration of how individuals are products of their environment.” Discuss The film ‘On the Waterfront,’ explores a number of different characters and how they are in relation to their environment and the environment they grew up in. Contrasting individuals are Edie and Terry. One who has been brought up in a school with nuns, and the other who has dealt with the corruption of ‘the mob’ their whole life. However, is the individual truly changed or developed by their environment or do some people grow up far from where their environment directed them? Kazan has shown ways a person’s environment can affect their character through the use of film technique. Through these techniques the differences between each individual and also some similarities are clearly evident. Edie, a young lady whose father works on the waterfront was sent away to a school to study teaching. She has grown up in an environment where the nuns would have ensured that their students maintained the upmost dignity and integrity. She is initially portrayed as a very conservative and somewhat shy girl that views everything as something she can fix. This conservative image is portrayed through what Edie wears and the manner in which she speaks. Cinematography also assists in the construction of this conservative image through the way camera angles only sho her in a very innocent way. She never appears aggressive; she only appears very small in the whole situation. However, as the film develops a different side of Edie is shown. She rebels against her father through interacting with Terry, especially when they go on their first ‘date.’ This shows how even though it may appear that a person has been shaped by their environment they can still be changed into something else throughout their life. Terry was brought up in the complete opposite environment
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